


Looming Slumber

by Bofur1



Series: Child's Play [8]
Category: The Hobbit (2012)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Insomnia, Introspection, Kid Fic, Sleepy Cuddles, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-24
Updated: 2013-04-24
Packaged: 2017-12-09 08:47:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/772299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Bofur1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Uncle Thorin, wake up! I can't sleep, and it's cold, and I'm lonely."<br/>Thorin finds young Fíli standing by his bed and realizes that he's probably going to be tired in the morning...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Looming Slumber

“Uncle Thorin, wake up!”

Thorin felt the sharp prodding of a child’s finger in his back. The elder Dwarf grunted sleepily and turned onto his other side to see the intruder. The large ice blue eyes of his nephew stared back at him.

“Fíli, I sent you to bed at least two hours ago,” Thorin mumbled, his words slurred with slumber.

The lad seized one of Thorin’s long soot black locks of hair. Twisting it around his finger, he complained, “But I can’t sleep, and it’s cold, and I’m lonely. Will you tell me a story?”

“I can’t think of any at the moment. Just go climb in with your little brother.”

Fíli would not relent. “Kíli moves around too much. Can’t I climb in with _you_?”

Thorin hesitated for a few moments, but Fíli looked so eager that he eventually gave a small sigh and lifted the blanket. His young nephew gave him a gap-toothed grin and leapt happily onto the bed, settling down next to his uncle.

“Now, Fíli, please be quiet and try to sleep.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle Thorin. I’ll be very, very quiet,” Fíli promised.

Thorin turned his back to Fíli and closed his eyes. He could feel himself drifting off when he received another cruel jab in the back, startling him back into wakefulness.

 _And he says Kíli moves around too much._ “Fíli, you promised you would be quiet.” Thorin’s voice was weary.

“I know, Uncle Thorin,” came his nephew’s whisper. “But you’re taking all the covers.”

Thorin readjusted slightly. “Is that better?”

“Yes. I’ll be able to sleep now.”

A long time passed without any nudges or fussing, and Thorin breathed a sigh of relief. Now that Fíli was finally asleep, he could at last get some rest. At that moment, freezing cold feet touched his skin. Thorin gave a yelp and recoiled.

“Fíli!” he gasped.

Fíli giggled. “Boy, you’re very warm, Uncle!”

Thorin groaned and curled into himself. “Fíli,” he pleaded, “please, _please_ go to sleep, or else I’m going to have to send you back to your room.”

“Yes, sir,” Fíli murmured in a subdued tone.

Reassured now that Fíli was no longer joking, Thorin closed his eyes for the third time. He lay motionless, waiting with baited breath for any sort of movement by his nephew. Sure enough, Fíli promptly started to squirm.

“Alright, Fíli. You need to go—” Thorin tensed as Fíli twisted and slipped an arm around him in a hesitant embrace. After a moment, Thorin relaxed his body, shifting onto his back. Fíli took this as an invitation and nestled close to his uncle’s warmth, laying his head on Thorin’s broad chest. 

Once he had adjusted to this position, Fíli sighed contentedly. “Goodnight, Uncle Thorin.” When he received only quiet snores for his answer, Fíli just smiled.

*

Thorin awoke the next morning with his arm draped over his nephew’s body. Fíli was still fast asleep beside him, his small fingers fastened around Thorin’s hand.

Thorin remained still for a long while, staring down at the boy. He looked like an angel, with the sunbeams from the window dancing across his fair skin and golden hair.

Fíli would probably get into some sort of mischief today, Thorin knew. He would probably tease his little brother, and he might hurt himself somehow. Fíli would probably come calling in the night again. And yet, Thorin wouldn’t have it any other way. He adored this boy, and he knew that—no matter how late it was—he would always welcome Fíli, cold feet and all.

 


End file.
